Mar.26 (GMM) The latest word from the Albert Park paddock on Thursday is that more teams are ready to join Red Bull in protesting against the controversial diffuser designs of three formula one cars.

"A number of teams have told me that they will definitely protest today," McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh told reporters in Melbourne.

He clarified that McLaren is not one of them, but it is understood that most teams will be among the protest against Brawn, Toyota and Williams.

With the 10 competing teams all previously tightly united in the FOTA alliance, the diffuser saga will be a tough test for their cooperation.

"If they want to make a point on something, like this diffuser business ... as they're all united, there won't be any protest in Melbourne, obviously," a mischievous F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone told the AP news agency.

Whitmarsh confessed that the situation could "easily become acrimonious".

But he insisted: "In defence of everyone, I don't think anyone has set out deliberately to cheat here.

"It's a shame that this sporting occasion is going to have that controversy thrust upon it over the course of the weekend."

Whitmarsh, whose Woking based team is expected to struggle to keep up with the pace this weekend, suggested that the best outcome would be for the stewards to declare the three cars' diffusers contrary to the rules.

"Either the majority of the teams are going to have to change the design of their car or the minority are going to have to change theirs," he said.